Microsoft account access

[Fred Claus]

Client's PIN doesn't work on her computer anymore and she can't remember her password. we go the Forgot password route but Microsoft doesn't send the security code. is there any other way you can get into the computer or account?

 

[Sky-Knight]

Oh that's a fun one...

Yes...

Easy way?: http://www.pcunlocker.com/

Hard way?: https://www.hackingarticles.in/hack-windows-10-password-easy-way/

 

[Fred Claus]

This says "Local account" passwords. Will it work for a Microsoft account password?

 

[britechguy]

Client's PIN doesn't work on her computer anymore and she can't remember her password. we go the Forgot password route but Microsoft doesn't send the security code. is there any other way you can get into the computer or account?

Is she, by any chance, a T-Mobile customer?

I just went through hell trying to receive codes from a credit card company the other day, and they were the ones who asked about who our carrier was, and got T-Mobile on the horn. Apparently they block certain classes of "short SMS" (I honestly can't remember the actual terminology) that's often used to send codes by default. T-Mobile had to turn that default off for our lines before we could receive these messages.

 

[britechguy]

By the way, I would call Microsoft Tech Support before using any sort of unlocker.

There is no charge for support when something like you are describing, codes not being sent to a legitimate phone number or e-mail address, is going on. They need to know about this and fix it, and they'll likely walk you through the reset as well.

 

[Fred Claus]

yep waiting for them to get on the line right now. It might be an issue with Roadrunner/Time Warner email but I can't worry about fixing that right now.

 

[Sky-Knight]

My comment above is not for unlocking the MS Login, it's for hacking your way back into the machine so you can login locally. Then you can FABs the stuff out of the linked account into the new one. It's the last stop before N&P.

I assumed you had gone through all the other stuff mentioned here, if you haven't you should follow Britechguy's advice and handle the account repairs first.

 

[Markverhyden]

So what's the objective here? If it was me I'd just be looking at data recovery and then N&P. In that case just boot from chntpw and enable to local admin account with a blank password. Then you should be able to FABS it over. Even easier would be to boot from your favorite *nix distro and just copy the user folder over. While FABS is great it does bring over the good, the bad, and the ugly.

 

[SAFCasper]

Easy way?: http://www.pcunlocker.com/

My comment above is not for unlocking the MS Login, it's for hacking your way back into the machine so you can login locally. Then you can FABs the stuff out of the linked account into the new one. It's the last stop before N&P.

+1 for this assuming you just want back into the computer but don't really care about the Microsoft account.

- Use PCUnlocker to enable the built-in Administrator account.
- Login with Administrator and create a new local User.
- Fabs everything from the old user to the new.
- Delete old account and disable system administrator again

If you actually need in the Microsoft account... you could have a bad day. Sounds like the recovery options they set are useless. There is an account recovery form you can submit but from my experience it has worked a grand total of zero times - https://account.live.com/acsr

 

[britechguy]

And, again, we see demonstrated that different base assumptions result in different advice. And there's nothing wrong with that.

I'd presume just the opposite of what the "I just want the data and to nuke and pave," camp does. Of course, it is my predilection to avoid N&P unless it's the only reasonable option. Having forgotten the password to one's MS account, and having a bit of trouble getting it reset is nowhere near to having exhausted several easy options to avoid a N&P (whether Fabs is involved or not).

This is one of the things I really love about exchanges such as this. I said, elsewhere and on a non-computer related forum just last night, "I've made my position, and assumptions very clear. And if someone wishes to argue with those under the conditions noted, have at it, and provide references that show the bases for the objections. I'm just freakin' exhausted and I'm not changing my mind, and it appears the opposite side is not going to either. That leaves the reference material to be consulted and each individual to decide which holds weight. That is the answer to these controversies that just won't be settled." I'm not as exasperated here, but the basic principles apply.

 

[Fred Claus]

The object is to just get into the system. The client is a graphic design company. She doesn't want to N&P the entire computer as that would mean she would have to reset up all her printer settings and install all her software again. She just installed a bad update from HP and now her PIN doesn't work.

The object is to just gain access into the computer again. If the built in Admin account would still give her access to her files and her programs she doesn't care about the Microsoft account.

 

[Porthos]

If the built in Admin account would still give her access to her files and her programs she doesn't care about the Microsoft account.

In that case, you still need to make a new regular admin account. The built-in Admin account has issues with some software and settings.
Then Fabs the data over.

 

[Fred Claus]

Simplest way to do this is to go into Repair mode --> Advanced --> command Prompt.

Then to switch from X drive to C drive or whichever is her main drive.

Then type net user administrator /active:yes

Then reboot right?

 

[Sky-Knight]

I don't think you can login as the local administrator outside of safe mode.

But if you have said console access you can:

net user admin /add
net localgroup administrators admin /add

That creates a new user named admin, and then adds that users to the local admin group. Reboot, and you can simply login with admin and move on with your day.

The second link I posted earlier walks through various ways to beat up a machine to give you the local admin command prompt you need to run those two commands. I'm not sure if you can run them from a repair console... I've never tried.

 

[frase]

This is one of my most annoyances. Had a few, a client other day installed feature update. Then asked to login to MS Account - client could not remember pass. So tried other methods - phone that was linked to account was non existent. So I reset machine twice, then magically could log in? Got me berked.

Remove Hard Drive and Image. Though as Sky says try the backdoor admin or use PCUnlocker, the latter has never failed me.

 

[Fred Claus]

I did do the built in admin function. She at least has access to the computer for now. Refuses to let me N&P because she has too many programs and machines set up on it that would take days to reset. I told her the only other option is to wait for Microsoft to unlock your account for you which could take even longer. PCUnlocker won't work either since this is a Microsoft Account with the password not saved locally.

Also adivsed her to use a password manager like BitWarden on her phone so next time this happens she will have it written down.

 

[britechguy]

. . . since this is a Microsoft Account with the password not saved locally.

Just as a side note, this is not correct. Microsoft Accounts absolutely do have a local copy of the password saved (encrypted, of course), or else it would not be possible to log in without an active internet connection to verify the password, and you can.

It's simple enough to prove this to yourself. Using a Microsoft Account that's under your control, change its password on the Microsoft.com website. Verify it's been changed by logging out and logging in on Microsoft.com again. Now log out on your Windows 10 machine where you're using he Microsoft Account linked Win10 user account. Now, log back in on the machine, but DO NOT use the new password you just reset on Microsoft.com, but your old one. You will succeed in logging in. You will succeed in logging in for months on end with the old password provided you DO NOT, even once, use the new password, but only the old one.

On login on the Win10 machine, if you supply the correct password that's stored locally, no check of the cloud based password is done, because it's not necessary. But as soon as you enter something other than the locally stored password, a check of what's in the cloud for the Microsoft.com account linked to the user account occurs. If there's a match, you are logged in and the local copy of the existing password is replaced by what was on the cloud. If it's not a match to the cloud password, you can still get away with entering your old password, and it will work.

Microsoft was never going to design a password mechanism that required an active internet connection in order to log in. There are just too many reasons that could be absent when anyone happens to need to hop on to their machines.

All of the above being said is not a comment on whether PCUnlocker can deal with Microsoft Account linked Win10 user account passwords or not.

 

[frase]

Then MS go in a circle of proven ID - unless user has access to original MS account with password. Otherwise it is a brick. Purchase PCunlocker

 

[britechguy]

Then MS go in a circle of proven ID - unless user has access to original MS account with password. Otherwise it is a brick. Purchase PCunlocker

Or hold the end user responsible for what is their responsibility: Knowing their own password, no matter what method they use to do it.

It is my opinion that the time is long past where computer technicians should be "breaking in" to PCs, period. If a user has to suffer through the time and expense of having their data extracted and a nuke and pave, so be it. This is no different than when they don't take backups and their system drive dies. They are the ones who are at fault.

It looks bad to work around security measures. Until and unless some people get burned, once, they'll never be responsible about knowing their passwords.

 

[johnrobert]

There would be no debate for me use PCunlocker remove pswd to MS login converting it to a local account
Wouldn't I then be able to login to locked out MS account?

Why use a dime solution to a nickel problem